Fiona Galea Debono
Malta makes €30m from Brad Pitt film
Warfare in Jerusalem? No, World War Z in Valletta. Photo: Darrin Zammit Lupi
Over €30 million are being pumped into the economy over the next three weeks through the filming of the Brad Pitt movie World War Z.
The figure is considered to be substantial, particularly in relation to shooting days, which amount to around 20, Malta Film Commissioner Peter Busuttil said.
Filming of the zombie movie started on Saturday at Zammit Clapp Hospital, which acted as a military compound. Yesterday, the lower part of Valletta, which has been transformed into streets in Israel, was teeming with activity as crew and cast went about their business and cameras rolled in St Charles Street.
Around 200 vehicles, trucks and trailers, are parked along the ring road, and the production is advising the public to avoid the area near the Land Department, Auberge de Baviere and Fort St Elmo over the next few days because of congestion and the impossibility of finding a space to park.
A catering set-up to feed 800 is located along the seafront below and military vehicles, including Hummers, lined the streets yesterday for road-block scenes. Signs in Hebrew were hanging about what easily slipped into the role of a Jerusalem marketplace.
Filming of World War Z in St Dominic Street and its surroundings is carrying on from tomorrow to Thursday, using the underground houses of Valletta residents, as well as their services for various jobs.
Many locals are being paid for having their doorways in shot and are being compensated for any inconvenience, but they seem to be enjoying the scene. The crew amounts to around 800 – much more than other major movies shot in Malta have seen, according to sources.
About 20 make-up artists are engaged in enhancing the zombies in the prosthetics department, while extras days over the three weeks of shooting amount to 5,500.
Filming involves two helicopters and a cable-suspended camera is running from a Floriana church right down to the Valletta waterfront area.
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Tonio Bone
Jun 20th 2011, 20:37
In the economy, or to make someone's wallet fatter?
Steve Elliott
Jun 20th 2011, 19:32
€30 Million and that's just from ice cream sales alone
Mr Paul Psaila
Jun 20th 2011, 15:32
Israel in tal Palestina.....they were never so close
Mr William Flynn
Jun 20th 2011, 12:29
I just hope someone didn't put the word out that Brad Pitt visited the clapp hospital...
Mr J BaldryFarrugia
Jun 20th 2011, 13:14
Sorry did you say Crap hospital?
Ms Gillian Snook
Jun 20th 2011, 16:48
Mr Farrugia didn't quite grasp the original pun .................... or did he?
Nice one Mr Flynn.
Mr William Flynn
Jun 20th 2011, 22:50
@ Gilliam Snook
Nah! Don't think Mr farrugia got it; I'm sure he hasn't. I most certainly hope he hasn't. I'm sure Brad Pitt hasn't got it either.
Albert Bezzina
Jun 20th 2011, 11:56
Anzi ma' ikonfiskawx dik il Hummvy ghax number plate barranijja! Fuel consumption 4 kms per litre!
Ms F Goodwin
Jun 20th 2011, 11:42
I don't understand how "Malta makes 30m"? Is this money going to the government or private enterprises or a combination of both? Did Mr Busuttil enumerate at all? How did he arrive at this figure?
U. D'Amico
Jun 20th 2011, 12:25
based on the budget assigned. and it goes to a mix, of sme, local enterprises, services, and taxes, both direct and indirect
G A Bonello
Jun 20th 2011, 13:02
€30 m will be spent on accomodation , food, extras, staff, transport, etc. IF (and a very big IF) everything is delared in the proper way (I'm sure you know what I mean :) , the Govt wil make about €5m in VAT
M Sciberras
Jun 20th 2011, 20:50
the €30 mio is made up of all the things that are paid for here in malta as a direct consequence of the film being here, from vat receipts on local purchases to wages for support staff recruited locally to restaurant and hotel bills...... Etc etc. The film commissioner would do well to provide such a breakdown of how the €30 mio was reached.....it would be of interest to alot of people who do not appreciate the hugely positive multiplier effects of such projects
Mr Andre Borg
Jun 20th 2011, 11:16
Valletta's derelict state is comparable to Israel at war! Excellent indeed!
Mr Noel Cutajar
Jun 20th 2011, 13:08
...so true!!!
Peter Shaw
Jun 20th 2011, 10:36
Its a pity that extras are only paid Eur60 for 12 hours work. Have to add also that they are NOT insured. Malta Film Commission pleas note !!!
wendy isaac
Jun 20th 2011, 11:13
60€ P/H. thats absolutly disgusting and no insurance, talking about cheap labour in a third world country and malta donates money to these people. i would strongly suggest to look first into your own measly little wages before showing the rest of the world what a good country Malta is on the outside--but on the inside its no different then some village over in asia or pakistan. 30€ mill. pumped into Malta is it a joke or what who is racking it all, people that work hard especially in the filming industry and also most are members of Equity unions, anything less then 300€ is considered a joke and a insult to the labour market. Its no wonder all the brains with a university degree are leaving your country, and who can blame them certainly n ot I.
Mr Lawrence Fenech
Jun 20th 2011, 09:36
Good luck to the filming, but it still is the forigners getting the best out of Malta.
Cornelius Murphy
Jun 20th 2011, 10:38
Why so negative, Nancy?
Ms K Bugeja
Jun 20th 2011, 09:36
If we get 30 million for every movie... lets make 10 more =)
Mr Peter Korsten
Jun 22nd 2011, 00:51
More like 140 more, that would settle the national debt.
Joseph Casha
Jun 20th 2011, 09:16
As a side note, that is not a Hummer, it's a Humvee.
Albert Scerri
Jun 20th 2011, 11:08
Just to be a bit pedantic... both names can be used.
Mr Joe B Edwards
Jun 20th 2011, 11:49
Albert Scerri, they are different, one is an SUV which is available to the public, the other is a military vehicle and the difference is not just the body, but also the specifications to which it is built.
Joseph Casha
Jun 20th 2011, 12:05
at least i commented on something without offending any public morals :p and no, two completely different vehicles if you actually knew the difference
Mr M Mamo
Jun 20th 2011, 09:04
how long before the usual people start turning anything positive into a negative way and blaming the government on an article that has nothing to do with politics?
Mr Eman Formosa
Jun 20th 2011, 09:26
Well dear Mr Mamo....that would be typically Maltese.......and if it not happens then it would be the FIRST SUMMER MIRACLE!!!!
Roderick Vassallo
Jun 20th 2011, 09:37
You just did!!!
Mr Jeffrey Mallia
Jun 20th 2011, 10:24
The positive thing is that on this movie we're gonna make 30 million.............but in the past 10 years we've should have made much more millions, which were just lost due to killing this industry.....Who is to blame Mr Mamo ? Go on you tell us.
Stefan Zammit
Jun 20th 2011, 11:12
@Mr Jeffery Mallia, there have been other high profile films in Malta, like Gladiator, Count of Monte Cristo, Game of Thrones (series), Da Vinci Code, Alexander, Troy, U-571 to name a few... I doubt there is any area so small as Malta in which such films have been produced!
Mr Jeremy J Camilleri
Jun 20th 2011, 13:26
And yet, M Mamo beat everyone to it...lol..talk about the pot calling the kettle black....How ironic..lol
Mr John Vella
Jun 20th 2011, 14:49
Have nothing to do with politics? Mr Mamo, last thursday I was working on a facade in republic street, I was 15 mins off the time entitled by the council (only two hours Mondays and Thursdays), today I received a fine of Eur 46.00. The heading is insulting "Malta makes €30m from Brad Pitt film" how about Brad Pitt makes €30m from Malta's film, its more appropriate.
Two weights and two measures anyone? We are becoming a police state. Pero ma jinpurtax ghax jigi barrani jghamel herba mill-belt.
Mr BERNARD STORACE
Jun 20th 2011, 08:58
We are inconvenienced on a daily basis because of one road work or another BUT receive no compensation.....Carry on Brad and keep Malta on the map.
Mrs Pauline Abela
Jun 20th 2011, 12:03
Best comment I've read so far. Be positive, people. If you keep whingeing about this and that, even less people will want to do business with you.
caroline zarre
Jun 20th 2011, 18:38
@ Mr bernard storace
well said !!
Jon Fenech
Jun 20th 2011, 08:43
Malta makes 30 million? I thought the movie's total budget was 30 million???
G A Bonello
Jun 20th 2011, 09:51
Film's budget is $125m http://www.movieinsider.com/m4966/3/world-war-z/